Social context in augmented reality

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first information about a proximity of a first user, the first information comprising one or more images or one or more sounds of at least a portion of the proximity, the first information having been obtained from the proximity by a client computing device of the first user automatically and with one or more sensors of the client computing device; identifying a second user within the proximity of the first user based at least in part on the first information; retrieving second information about the second user from a graph of a social-networking system, the graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, at least one node in the graph corresponding to the first user, at least one node in the graph corresponding to the second user; and sending the second information about the second user to the first user.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to augmented reality.

BACKGROUND

Augmented reality (AR) is considered an extension of virtual reality(VR) and is about augmenting the real world environment with virtualinformation to improve people's senses and skills. AR is a live, director indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elementsare augmented by computer-generated sensory input.

SUMMARY OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Particular embodiments may identify individual people around a user andthen provide information about the identified individuals to the user. Aperson may be identified using various techniques, such as voice orfacial recognition. A person's voice or face may be captured byaudio/visual devices on the user's body or attached to a room where theuser and the person are located. The information about an identifiedindividual may be retrieved from that individual's social profile. Theinformation may be displayed to the user (e.g., on a mobile device) orspoken to the user (e.g., whispered in the user's ear).

Particular embodiments may identify individual people around a user andthen filter the identified individuals based on social information. Aperson may be identified using various techniques, such as voice orfacial recognition. A person's voice or face may be captured byaudio/visual devices on the user's body or attached to a room where theuser and the person are located. The social information about anidentified individual may be retrieved from that individual's socialprofile. The identified individuals may be grouped into specificcategories (e.g., women who are single, people who are in a specificprofession, people who share a common interest, etc.). Those peoplebelonging to a specific category may be shown to the user (e.g.,displayed or spoken to the user).

Particular embodiments may identify individual people around a user andthen automatically identify a person-of-interest to the user withoutrequiring the user to manually select that person-of-interest. A personmay be identified using various techniques, such as voice or facialrecognition. A person's voice or face may be captured by audio/visualdevices on the user's body or attached to a room where the user and theperson are located. The person-of-interest may be identified based onthe user's behavior. For example, the user may stare at a person orstand next to a person for a while or engage in conversation with aperson. This causes the person to be identified as of particularinterest to the user. Information (e.g., social information) about theperson-of interest may be shown to the user. The social informationabout the person-of-interest may be retrieved from that person's socialprofile. The information may be displayed (e.g., on a mobile device) orspoken to the user (e.g., whispered in the user's ear).

Particular embodiments may determine a person's presence at a moregranular level. Global Positioning System (GPS) and check-in informationenables a system to determine a person's presence in a general area(e.g., inside a building), but not more specific locations (e.g., in aspecific room of the building). When a group of users are located withinan area (e.g., inside a room), each user's mobile device may sendinformation (e.g., voice recordings or facial images) about peoplearound him/her to a server. The server may identify the people (e.g.,through voice or facial recognition) then determine the specificposition of each user in the room as well as relative positions ofmultiple users. The server can send guidance information to lead a userto another user, or tell a user where another user is in the room.

Particular embodiments may continuously capture audio/visual informationaround a user. The user may wear an audio/visual recording device thatcaptures audio/visual information continuously (e.g., one frame everytwo seconds). The captured audio/visual information may be uploaded to aserver and processed. For example, interesting audio/visual segments maybe posted to the user's timeline or save for the user for later viewing.In particular embodiments, a user can query the audio/visual informationfor what happened at a particular time or during a particular event. Inparticular embodiments, the audio/visual information may be posted to anOpen Graph or social graph associated with a social-networking system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment associated with asocial-networking system.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example social graph.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method for providing information about afirst user, which is retrieved from a social-networking system, to asecond user when the first user is nearby the second user.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example method for providing information about agroup of first users, which is retrieved from a social-networkingsystem, to a second user when the first users are nearby the seconduser.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example method for automatically identifying afirst user who is of particular interest to a second user based onbehavior of the second user.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method for determining specific positionsof individual users within an enclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example method for continuously capturingaudio/visual information around a user.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example computer system.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Augmented reality (AR) is about augmenting the real world environmentwith virtual information to improve people's senses and skills. Inparticular embodiments, the information may be retrieved from asocial-networking system.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment 100 associated with asocial-networking system. Network environment 100 includes a user 101, aclient system 130, a social-networking system 160, and a third-partysystem 170 connected to each other by a network 110. Although FIG. 1illustrates a particular arrangement of user 101, client system 130,social-networking system 160, third-party system 170, and network 110,this disclosure contemplates any suitable arrangement of user 101,client system 130, social-networking system 160, third-party system 170,and network 110. As an example and not by way of limitation, two or moreof client system 130, social-networking system 160, and third-partysystem 170 may be connected to each other directly, bypassing network110. As another example, two or more of client system 130,social-networking system 160, and third-party system 170 may bephysically or logically co-located with each other in whole or in part.Moreover, although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular number of users 101,client systems 130, social-networking systems 160, third-party systems170, and networks 110, this disclosure contemplates any suitable numberof users 101, client systems 130, social-networking systems 160,third-party systems 170, and networks 110. As an example and not by wayof limitation, network environment 100 may include multiple users 101,client system 130, social-networking systems 160, third-party systems170, and networks 110.

In particular embodiments, user 101 may be an individual (human user),an entity (e.g., an enterprise, business, or third-party application),or a group (e.g., of individuals or entities) that interacts orcommunicates with or over social-networking system 160. In particularembodiments, social-networking system 160 may be a network-addressablecomputing system hosting an online social network. Social-networkingsystem 160 may generate, store, receive, and transmit social-networkingdata, such as, for example, user-profile data, concept-profile data,social-graph information, or other suitable data related to the onlinesocial network. Social-networking system 160 may be accessed by theother components of network environment 100 either directly or vianetwork 110. In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 mayinclude an authorization server that allows users 101 to opt in or optout of having their actions logged by social-networking system 160 orshared with other systems (e.g., third-party systems 170), such as, forexample, by setting appropriate privacy settings. In particularembodiments, third-party system 170 may be a network-addressablecomputing system that can host various software applications.Third-party system 170 may generate, store, receive, and transmitvarious types of data, such as, for example, data associated with thethird-party applications. Third-party system 170 may be accessed by theother components of network environment 100 either directly or vianetwork 110. In particular embodiments, one or more users 101 may useone or more client systems 130 to access, send data to, and receive datafrom social-networking system 160 or third-party system 170. Clientsystem 130 may access social-networking system 160 or third-party system170 directly, via network 110, or via a third-party system. As anexample and not by way of limitation, client system 130 may accessthird-party system 170 via social-networking system 160. Client system130 may be any suitable computing device, such as, for example, apersonal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, aSmartphone, or a tablet computer.

In particular embodiments, client system 130 may be a mobile computingdevice, such as a Smartphone, tablet computer, or laptop computer, whichmay include functionality for determining its location, direction, ororientation, such as a GPS receiver, compass, or gyroscope. Such adevice may also include functionality for wireless communication, suchas BLUETOOTH communication, near-field communication (NFC), or infrared(IR) communication or communication with a wireless local area networks(WLANs) or cellular-telephone network. Such a device may also includeone or more cameras, scanners, touchscreens, microphones, or speakers.Mobile computing devices may also execute software applications, such asgames, web browsers, or social-networking applications. Withsocial-networking applications, users may connect, communicate, andshare information with other users in their social networks.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable network 110. As an example andnot by way of limitation, one or more portions of network 110 mayinclude an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public SwitchedTelephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, or a combinationof two or more of these. Network 110 may include one or more networks110.

Links 150 may connect client system 130, social-networking system 160,and third-party system 170 to communication network 110 or to eachother. This disclosure contemplates any suitable links 150. Inparticular embodiments, one or more links 150 include one or morewireline (such as for example Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or Data OverCable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as forexample Wi-Fi or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX)), or optical (such as for example Synchronous Optical Network(SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) links. In particularembodiments, one or more links 150 each include an ad hoc network, anintranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, aportion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a cellulartechnology-based network, a satellite communications technology-basednetwork, another link 150, or a combination of two or more such links150. Links 150 need not necessarily be the same throughout networkenvironment 100. One or more first links 150 may differ in one or morerespects from one or more second links 150.

In particular embodiments, various types of data or information may bestored in social-networking system 160. For example, each user ofsocial-networking system 160 has a user profile, where information(e.g., demographic information, education, profession, hobbies, etc.)about the user may be stored. In addition, social connections amongusers, user activities, user postings and uploads (e.g., images), andother types of information may also be stored in social-networkingsystem 160. With particular embodiments, information ofsocial-networking system 160 may be stored in a graph structure havingany number of nodes and edges. The graph may be referred to as socialgraph or open graph, partly because it is used to store, among others,social information.

FIG. 2 illustrates example social graph 200. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may store one or more social graphs 200 inone or more data stores. In particular embodiments, social graph 200 mayinclude multiple nodes—which may include multiple user nodes 202 ormultiple concept nodes 204—and multiple edges 206 connecting the nodes.Example social graph 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is shown, for didacticpurposes, in a two-dimensional visual map representation. In particularembodiments, a social-networking system 160, client system 130, orthird-party system 170 may access social graph 200 and relatedsocial-graph information for suitable applications. The nodes and edgesof social graph 200 may be stored as data objects, for example, in adata store (such as a social-graph database). Such a data store mayinclude one or more searchable or queryable indexes of nodes or edges ofsocial graph 200.

In particular embodiments, a user node 202 may correspond to a user ofsocial-networking system 160. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a user may be an individual (human user), an entity (e.g.,an enterprise, business, or third-party application), or a group (e.g.,of individuals or entities) that interacts or communicates with or oversocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, when a userregisters for an account with social-networking system 160,social-networking system 160 may create a user node 202 corresponding tothe user, and store the user node 202 in one or more data stores. Usersand user nodes 202 described herein may, where appropriate, refer toregistered users and user nodes 202 associated with registered users. Inaddition or as an alternative, users and user nodes 202 described hereinmay, where appropriate, refer to users that have not registered withsocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, a user node 202may be associated with information provided by a user or informationgathered by various systems, including social-networking system 160. Asan example and not by way of limitation, a user may provide his or hername, profile picture, contact information, birth date, sex, maritalstatus, family status, employment, education background, preferences,interests, or other demographic information. In particular embodiments,a user node 202 may be associated with one or more data objectscorresponding to information associated with a user. In particularembodiments, a user node 202 may correspond to one or more web pages.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may correspond to aconcept. As an example and not by way of limitation, a concept maycorrespond to a place (such as, for example, a movie theater,restaurant, landmark, or city); a website (such as, for example, awebsite associated with social-network system 160 or a third-partywebsite associated with a web-application server); an entity (such as,for example, a person, business, group, sports team, or celebrity); aresource (such as, for example, an audio file, video file, digitalphoto, text file, structured document, or application) which may belocated within social-networking system 160 or on an external server,such as a web-application server; real or intellectual property (suchas, for example, a sculpture, painting, movie, game, song, idea,photograph, or written work); a game; an activity; an idea or theory;another suitable concept; or two or more such concepts. A concept node204 may be associated with information of a concept provided by a useror information gathered by various systems, including social-networkingsystem 160. As an example and not by way of limitation, information of aconcept may include a name or a title; one or more images (e.g., animage of the cover page of a book); a location (e.g., an address or ageographical location); a website (which may be associated with a URL);contact information (e.g., a phone number or an email address); othersuitable concept information; or any suitable combination of suchinformation. In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may beassociated with one or more data objects corresponding to informationassociated with concept node 204. In particular embodiments, a conceptnode 204 may correspond to one or more web pages.

In particular embodiments, a node in social graph 200 may represent orbe represented by a webpage (which may be referred to as a “profilepage”). Profile pages may be hosted by or accessible tosocial-networking system 160. Profile pages may also be hosted onthird-party websites associated with a third-party server 170. As anexample and not by way of limitation, a profile page corresponding to aparticular external webpage may be the particular external webpage andthe profile page may correspond to a particular concept node 204.Profile pages may be viewable by all or a selected subset of otherusers. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user node 202 mayhave a corresponding user-profile page in which the corresponding usermay add content, make declarations, or otherwise express himself orherself. As another example and not by way of limitation, a concept node204 may have a corresponding concept-profile page in which one or moreusers may add content, make declarations, or express themselves,particularly in relation to the concept corresponding to concept node204.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may represent athird-party webpage or resource hosted by a third-party system 170. Thethird-party webpage or resource may include, among other elements,content, a selectable or other icon, or other inter-actable object(which may be implemented, for example, in JavaScript, AJAX, or PHPcodes) representing an action or activity. As an example and not by wayof limitation, a third-party webpage may include a selectable icon suchas “like,” “check in,” “eat,” “recommend,” or another suitable action oractivity. A user viewing the third-party webpage may perform an actionby selecting one of the icons (e.g., “eat”), causing a client system 130to transmit to social-networking system 160 a message indicating theuser's action. In response to the message, social-networking system 160may create an edge (e.g., an “eat” edge) between a user node 202corresponding to the user and a concept node 204 corresponding to thethird-party webpage or resource and store edge 206 in one or more datastores.

In particular embodiments, a pair of nodes in social graph 200 may beconnected to each other by one or more edges 206. An edge 206 connectinga pair of nodes may represent a relationship between the pair of nodes.In particular embodiments, an edge 206 may include or represent one ormore data objects or attributes corresponding to the relationshipbetween a pair of nodes. As an example and not by way of limitation, afirst user may indicate that a second user is a “friend” of the firstuser. In response to this indication, social-networking system 160 maytransmit a “friend request” to the second user. If the second userconfirms the “friend request,” social-networking system 160 may createan edge 206 connecting the first user's user node 202 to the seconduser's user node 202 in social graph 200 and store edge 206 associal-graph information in one or more of data stores 24. In theexample of FIG. 2, social graph 200 includes an edge 206 indicating afriend relation between user nodes 202 of user “A” and user “B” and anedge indicating a friend relation between user nodes 202 of user “C” anduser “B.” Although this disclosure describes or illustrates particularedges 206 with particular attributes connecting particular user nodes202, this disclosure contemplates any suitable edges 206 with anysuitable attributes connecting user nodes 202. As an example and not byway of limitation, an edge 206 may represent a friendship, familyrelationship, business or employment relationship, fan relationship,follower relationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship,superior/subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship,non-reciprocal relationship, another suitable type of relationship, ortwo or more such relationships. Moreover, although this disclosuregenerally describes nodes as being connected, this disclosure alsodescribes users or concepts as being connected. Herein, references tousers or concepts being connected may, where appropriate, refer to thenodes corresponding to those users or concepts being connected in socialgraph 200 by one or more edges 206.

In particular embodiments, an edge 206 between a user node 202 and aconcept node 204 may represent a particular action or activity performedby a user associated with user node 202 toward a concept associated witha concept node 204. As an example and not by way of limitation, asillustrated in FIG. 2, a user may “like,” “attended,” “played,”“listened,” “cooked,” “worked at,” or “watched” a concept, each of whichmay correspond to a edge type or subtype. A concept-profile pagecorresponding to a concept node 204 may include, for example, aselectable “check in” icon (such as, for example, a clickable “check in”icon) or a selectable “add to favorites” icon. Similarly, after a userclicks these icons, social-networking system 160 may create a “favorite”edge or a “check in” edge in response to a user's action correspondingto a respective action. As another example and not by way of limitation,a user (user “C”) may listen to a particular song (“Ramble On”) using aparticular application (SPOTIFY, which is an online music application).In this case, social-networking system 160 may create a “listened” edge206 and a “used” edge (as illustrated in FIG. 2) between user nodes 202corresponding to the user and concept nodes 204 corresponding to thesong and application to indicate that the user listened to the song andused the application. Moreover, social-networking system 160 may createa “played” edge 206 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) between concept nodes 204corresponding to the song and the application to indicate that theparticular song was played by the particular application. In this case,“played” edge 206 corresponds to an action performed by an externalapplication (SPOTIFY) on an external audio file (the song “Imagine”).Although this disclosure describes particular edges 206 with particularattributes connecting user nodes 202 and concept nodes 204, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable edges 206 with any suitableattributes connecting user nodes 202 and concept nodes 204. Moreover,although this disclosure describes edges between a user node 202 and aconcept node 204 representing a single relationship, this disclosurecontemplates edges between a user node 202 and a concept node 204representing one or more relationships. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an edge 206 may represent both that a user likes and hasused at a particular concept. Alternatively, another edge 206 mayrepresent each type of relationship (or multiples of a singlerelationship) between a user node 202 and a concept node 204 (asillustrated in FIG. 2 between user node 202 for user “E” and conceptnode 204 for “SPOTIFY”).

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may create anedge 206 between a user node 202 and a concept node 204 in social graph200. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user viewing aconcept-profile page (such as, for example, by using a web browser or aspecial-purpose application hosted by the user's client system 130) mayindicate that he or she likes the concept represented by the conceptnode 204 by clicking or selecting a “Like” icon, which may cause theuser's client system 130 to transmit to social-networking system 160 amessage indicating the user's liking of the concept associated with theconcept-profile page. In response to the message, social-networkingsystem 160 may create an edge 206 between user node 202 associated withthe user and concept node 204, as illustrated by “like” edge 206 betweenthe user and concept node 204. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may store an edge 206 in one or more datastores. In particular embodiments, an edge 206 may be automaticallyformed by social-networking system 160 in response to a particular useraction. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a first useruploads a picture, watches a movie, or listens to a song, an edge 206may be formed between user node 202 corresponding to the first user andconcept nodes 204 corresponding to those concepts. Although thisdisclosure describes forming particular edges 206 in particular manners,this disclosure contemplates forming any suitable edges 206 in anysuitable manner.

Information available from social-networking system 160 may be used toaugment realities for specific individuals. For example, suppose that agroup of people are gathered together at a place. It may be a meeting, asocial function (e.g., birthday party, wedding) or gathering, or anevent (e.g., concert, sports event). It may be helpful to provideinformation about the individual persons present to each other. In somecases, if a person is a user of social-networking system 160,information about that person may be retrieved from social-networkingsystem 160 (e.g., from the person's user profile at social-networkingsystem 160 or social graph 200).

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method 300 for providing information abouta first user to a second user when the first user is nearby the seconduser. Note that the steps illustrated in FIG. 3 may be repeated toprovide information about different first users to a second user.Suppose that a group of users, including at least a first user and asecond user, are gathered together at a place. The place may be a roominside a building or house, a business establishment (e.g., club,restaurant, shop), a public space (e.g., street corner, park), and soon. This disclosure contemplates any suitable place for human gathering.Further suppose that the first user is nearby the second user. Note thatthe word “nearby” does not mean that the first user and the second userare necessarily next to each other. Instead, it is sufficient that thesecond user is in close spatial proximity to the first user or thesecond user is aware of the first user's presence (e.g., the second usercan see or hear the first user even from a distance away).

At STEP 310, particular embodiments may identify the first user, subjectto the first user's privacy settings. For example, the first user isidentified only when the first user's privacy settings indicate that thefirst user consents to be identified. There are different ways toidentify a user, and this disclosure contemplates any suitabletechniques for identifying a person.

With some implementations, the first user may be identified throughfacial recognition. In this case, an image of the first user's face maybe taken with a visual recording device (e.g., camera or videorecorder), again subject to the first user's privacy settings (i.e., thefirst user's image is taken only when the first user's privacy settingsindicate that the first user consents to have his image taken). Theimage of the first user's face may be processed and compared againstimages of people with known identities to determine the identity of thefirst user. For example, if the first user is a member ofsocial-networking system 160, the image of the first user's face may besent to social-networking system 160 and compared against profile orother images (e.g., images from user albums) of users ofsocial-networking system 160. If a match is found, the name of the userwhose profile image matches the image of the first user's face shouldalso be the name of the first user.

With some implementations, the first user may be identified throughvoice recognition. In this case, a recording of the first user's voicemay be taken with an audio recording device (e.g., voice or videorecorder, microphone), subject to the first user's privacy settings(i.e., the first user's voice is recorded only when the first user'sprivacy settings indicate that the first user consents to have his voicerecorded). The recording of the first user's voice may be processed andcompared against voice recordings of people with known identities todetermine the identity of the first user. For example, if the first useris a member of social-networking system 160, the recording of the firstuser's voice may be sent to social-networking system 160 and comparedagainst voice recordings of users of social-networking system 160. If amatch is found, the name of the user whose voice recording matches therecording of the first user's voice should also be the name of the firstuser.

To further improve the result of facial or voice recognition, with someimplementations, information stored in social graph 200, especiallysocial connections among users of social-networking system 160 andcheck-in information, may be used. Suppose that the second user is amember of social-networking system 160. When comparing the image of thefirst user's face against images of people with known identities orcomparing the recording of the first user's voice against voicerecordings of people with known identities, the search pool (i.e., thepeople with known identities among whom to search for the identity ofthe first user) may be limited to, for example and without limitation:(1) friends of the second user (i.e., users of social-networking system160 who are directly connected with the second user according to socialgraph 200), (2) friends of friends of the second user (i.e., users ofsocial-networking system 160 who are indirectly connected with thesecond user through one other user according to social graph 200), (3)users of social-networking system 160 who have checked in at the samelocation as the second user, (4) friends of the second user who are notchecked in at some other location different from where the second useris and who have not recently checked in at somewhere far away from thelocation where the second user is (e.g., friends of the second user whohave not checked in at somewhere more than 60 miles away from thelocation where the second user is within the past couple of hours), (5)people with known identifies and have good template information (e.g.,good audio recording or facial image) where the voice or facialrecognition algorithm can provide a more accurate result, or (6) anycombination of above. Other applicable criteria may also be used tolimit the search pool. In addition, to protect user privacy, the searchpool may exclude those people who have set their privacy rules toprevent themselves from being automatically recognized in suchsituations (i.e., to remove themselves from identity recognitionresults).

There are different ways to obtain an image of a user's face or arecording of a user's voice for the purpose of identifying the user, andthis disclosure contemplates any suitable techniques for obtaining auser's facial image or voice recording. As an example, the second usermay have an audio or visual recording device and use such a device totake an image of the first user's face (e.g., while the first user isfacing the second user) or make a recording of the first user's voice(e.g., while the first user is speaking) or both. The audio/visualrecording device (e.g., camera, microphone) may take any form, and thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable audio/visual recording devices. Forexample, the recording device may be incorporated in a Smartphone, apiece of jewelry (e.g., pendant, brooch), a wrist watch, or a pair ofglasses carried or worn by the second user so that it is not obtrusive.As another example, if the first user and the second user are within anenclosure, such as a room in a house or building, there may beaudio/visual recording devices installed around the room (e.g., on thewalls or in the ceiling of the room). Each recording device may takeaudio/visual recordings of the users in close proximity to that device.In both cases, the visual recording device may incorporate fisheye lensfor taking wide-angle images.

With some implementations, the first user may be identified through amobile device carried by the first user, subject to the first user'sprivacy settings. As an example, when the first user carries aSmartphone, the location of the Smartphone may be determined by wirelesssignals (e.g., through triangulation) or Global Positioning System (GPS)sensor data. The location of the first user may be derived from thelocation of the first user's Smartphone. In some cases, if the firstuser is a member of social-networking system 160, the telephone numberof the Smartphone carried by the first user may be sent tosocial-networking system 160 and compared against cellular telephonenumbers of users (e.g., found in user profiles) of social-networkingsystem 160. If a match is found, the name of the user whose cellularphone number matches the phone number of the first user's Smartphoneshould, in most situations, also be the name of the first user. In othercases, the telephone number of the Smartphone carried by the first usermay be checked against appropriate phone company records to determinethe name of the owner of the telephone number, which, in mostsituations, should be the name of the first user. As another example,when the first user carries a Bluetooth device (e.g., a headphone) thathas a unique identifier, the Bluetooth device may be used to identifythe first user. In most situations, the name of the known owner of theBluetooth device should be the name of the first user.

With some implementations, the first user may be identified throughactions the first user performs in connection with social-networkingsystem 160 while at the gathering, subject to the first user's privacysettings. For example, if the first user has performed a “check-in”action with social-networking system 160 upon arriving at the gathering,it indicates that the first user is present at the gathering. Thisinformation may be cross-referenced with other available information(e.g., “check-in” actions performed by other users at the samegathering, social connections of the first user) to identify the firstuser.

To ensure that the first user is accurately identified, particularembodiments may employ a combination of suitable identification methods.For example, the first user may be identified through both facial andvoice recognition, through both voice recognition and the mobile devicecarried by the first user, and so on.

In some embodiments, the identification of the first user may beperformed by a computing device (e.g., a server) of social-networkingsystem 160. In this case, information (e.g., facial image or voicerecording of the first user, identifier of the mobile device carried bythe first user) may be sent to the computing device of social-networkingsystem 160, which in turn identifies the first user. In otherembodiments, the identification of the first user may be performed by amobile device of the second user. For example, the second user'sSmartphone may capture an image of the first user's face and performfacial recognition, or take a recording of the first user's voice andperform voice recognition. If necessary, the second user's Smartphonemay obtain appropriate information from social-networking system 160 inorder to help with the identification effort.

Once the identity (e.g., name, user identifier (ID) at social-networkingsystem 160) of the first user is determined, at STEP 320, particularembodiments may retrieve information about the first user fromsocial-networking system 160. With some implementations, the informationabout the first user may be retrieved from the first user's profile withsocial-networking system 160, such as the first user's background,profession, job, hobbies, interests, marital status, and so on. Withsome implementations, the information about the first user may beretrieved from the social graph or open graph (e.g., social graph 200)of social-networking system 160. For example, the first user's socialconnections (e.g., friends, families), social interactions (e.g.,between the first user and other users of social-networking system 160),online activities (e.g., communications, posts, file uploads, web sitesvisited, etc.), or mobile activities (e.g., check-ins, phone calls,texts, etc.) may be retrieved from social graph 200.

To protect privacy of the first user, with some implementations, theinformation about the first user retrieved from social-networking system160 is only the specific information accessible to the general public orthe second user is authorized to access (e.g., based on friendconnections). Information the second user is not authorized to access(e.g., private information) is not retrieved. What specific informationabout the first user is accessible to the second user may be determinedbased on privacy settings specified in the first user's account atsocial-networking system 160.

At STEP 330, particular embodiments may provide the information aboutthe first user to the second user (e.g., while both the first user andthe second user are at the gathering). There are different ways toprovide information to a user, and this disclosure contemplates anysuitable techniques for providing information to a user.

With some implementations, the information about the first user may bedisplayed on the screen of a mobile device (e.g., a Smartphone) carriedby the second user. For example, the information may be presentedtogether with a facial image of the first user. With someimplementations, the information about the first user may be whisperedto the second user (e.g., through an earphone worn by the second user orthe speaker of a mobile device carried by the second user). The volumeof the sound may be sufficiently low so that only the second user canhear the information about the first user.

When multiple users are gathered together (e.g., at a social orprofessional function), the users may be identified and then categorized(e.g., based on similarities among the users). FIG. 4 illustrates anexample method 400 for providing information about a group of firstusers to a second user when the first users are nearby the second user.Suppose that a group of users, including one or more first users and asecond user, are gathered together at a place. Again, the place may be aroom inside a building or house, a business establishment (e.g., club,restaurant, shop), a public space (e.g., street corner, park), and soon. This disclosure contemplates any suitable place for human gathering.Further suppose that the first users are nearby the second user (i.e.,the second user is aware of the first users' presence because, forexample, the second user is able to see or hear the first users).

At STEP 410, particular embodiments may identify each first user nearbythe second user, subject to each first user's privacy settings. Inparticular embodiments, each first user may be identified using similartechniques as described above in connection with STEP 310 of FIG. 3.

Once the identity (e.g., name, user ID at social-networking system 160)of each first user is determined, at STEP 420, particular embodimentsmay retrieve information about each first user from social-networkingsystem 160. In particular embodiments, the information about each firstuser may be retrieved using similar techniques as described above inconnection with STEP 320 of FIG. 3.

At STEP 430, particular embodiments may categorize the first users intoone or more groups based on information about the first users, subjectto each first user's privacy settings (i.e., specific information abouteach first user is used for categorizing the first users only when eachfirst user's privacy settings indicate that the information can be used,such as public information of each first user). There are different waysto categorize a group of users, and this disclosure contemplates anysuitable techniques for user categorization.

With some implementations, the first users may be categorized based onsimilarities among the first users or similarities between the firstusers and the second user. As an example, the first users may becategorized based on their professions (e.g., engineers, doctors,lawyers, teachers, etc.), their hobbies (e.g., stamp collection,photography, cooking, sailing, etc.), their genders (e.g., female,male), their relationship status (e.g., single, married, divorced,etc.), their age groups, and so on, subject to each first user's privacysettings. As another example, the first users may be categorized basedon whether they share some common interests with the second user (e.g.,if the second user likes fishing, all first users who also like fishingmay be grouped together), or whether they work at the same company asthe second user, or whether they have attended the same university asthe second user, of whether they are in the same age group as the seconduser, and so on, subject to each first user's privacy settings. As athird example, the first users may be categorized based on affinity orcoefficient values associated with the first users and the second user.With some implementations, an affinity value may be computed betweeneach first user and the second user, which measures the relationshipbetween each first user and the second user. With some implementations,an affinity value may be computed between each first user and a subjectas well as between the second user and that same subject. Affinity isdescribed in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/503,093,which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

With some implementations, the first users may be categorized based oncriteria specified by the second user. As an example, if the second useris hoping to find a suitable date at the gathering, the second user mayspecify criteria such as female, between the ages of 25 and 35, singleor divorced, and interested in pursuing romantic relationships. Then,all first users that meet these criteria may be categorized into thesame group. As another example, if the second user (e.g., a businesswoman) wishes to build professional networks at the gathering, thesecond user may specify criteria such as corporate executive officers,or having advanced degrees in business or finance. Then, all first usersthat meet these criteria may be categorized into the same group. As athird example, if the second user is interested in finding a partnerwith whom to play tennis, the second user may specify criteria such asinterested in tennis, playing tennis at least once a week, and anadvanced tennis player. Again, all first users that meet these criteriamay be categorized into the same group.

At STEP 440, particular embodiments may notify the second user thosespecific first users that belong to a specific group. Note that STEP 440may be repeated to notify the second user of specific first users fromdifferent groups. In particular embodiments, the second user may benotified using similar techniques as described above in connection withSTEP 330 of FIG. 3. As an example, the name and image of each first userfrom the group may be displayed on the screen of a mobile device (e.g.,a Smartphone) of the second user so that the second user can use theimages to identify the real persons nearby and match each name with aface. As another example, the name and brief description of each firstuser from the group may be whispered to the second user (e.g., throughan earphone worn by the second user).

With some implementations, information (e.g., information retrieved fromsocial-networking system 160) about each first user or about selectedfirst users from the group may be provided to the second user. As anexample, suppose that the gathering is held at a nightclub and thesecond user is interested in finding a date. The names and images ofthose first users that satisfy the dating criteria specified by thesecond user may be presented to the second user. After examining theseimages, the second user may be especially interested in three specificfirst users. Then, additional information (e.g., profession, interests,hobbies, education background, etc.) about each of these three firstusers may be presented to the second user so that the second user canmake a choice among them. As another example, suppose that the seconduser is interested in meeting people at influential positions. The namesand images of those first users that satisfy the professional networkingcriteria (e.g., corporate executive officers) specified by the seconduser may be presented to the second user. In addition, for each of thesefirst users, information about the first user, such as the company thefirst user currently works for, the current position held by the firstuser at the company, the education or career history of the first user,and so on, may be presented to the second user so that the second usercan determine with which specific first users to make contact.

When multiple users are gathered together (e.g., at a social orprofessional function), one user may be especially interested in anotheruser and wishes to find out more information about that other user. FIG.5 illustrates an example method 500 for automatically identifying afirst user who is of particular interest to a second user based onbehavior of the second user. Note that the steps illustrated in FIG. 5may be repeated to identify different first users who are of particularinterest to a second user. Suppose that a group of users, including oneor more first users and a second user, are gathered together at a place.For example, the place may be a room inside a building or house, abusiness establishment (e.g., club, restaurant, shop), a public space(e.g., street corner, park), and so on. This disclosure contemplates anysuitable place for human gathering. Further suppose that the first usersare nearby the second user (i.e., the second user is aware of the firstusers' presence because, for example, the second user is able to see orhear the first users).

At STEP 510, particular embodiments may identify each first user nearbythe second user, subject to each first user's privacy settings. Inparticular embodiments, each first user may be identified using similartechniques as described above in connection with STEP 310 of FIG. 3.

At STEP 520, particular embodiments may identify a specific first userwho may be of particular interest to the second user based on behaviorof the second user. In other words, it is not necessary for the seconduser to perform an explicit action for the specific purpose of pointingout (e.g., to a computing system) which first user is a person ofinterest to the second user. Instead, the first user, who may be ofparticular interest to the second user, is identified implicitly throughthe second user's behavior. There are different user behaviors that maybe used to identify a person of interest to a user and this disclosurecontemplates any applicable user behaviors.

With some implementations, the positions of the individual users at thegathering may be determined (described in more detail below inconnection with FIG. 6). When the second user remains (e.g., standing orsitting) in close proximity of (e.g., next to) a specific first user fora threshold period of time (e.g., one minute), that first user may beidentified as of particular interest to the second user. For example, amobile device carried by the second user may include an accelerometer,which may be used to measure the proper acceleration of the mobiledevice and thus of the second user. This may be used to determinewhether the second user is moving or remaining still at any givenmoment. Thus, if the second user is positioned next to a specific firstuser and remains still there for the threshold period of time, thatfirst user may be automatically identified as of particular interest tothe second user.

With some implementations, the movements of the second user's eyes maybe tracked (e.g., through retina tracking). Eye tracking is the processof measuring either the point of gaze or the motion of a person's eyerelative to the person's head. There are various eye tracking devices,which measure eye positions and eye movements, and this disclosurecontemplates any applicable eye tracking devices. As an example, thesecond user may wear special contact lenses with embedded mirror ormagnetic field sensors. Movements of the eyes may be measured based onmovements of the contact lenses. As another example, the second user maywear a pair of glasses with a video camera or optical sensor. Light(e.g., infrared) reflected from the eyes are sensed by the video cameraor optical sensor, and eye rotations are extracted based on changes inthe reflections. When the second user looks at a specific first user fora threshold period of time (e.g., 30 seconds), that first user may beidentified as of particular interest to the second user. Alternatively,when the second user blinks his or her eyes for a threshold number oftimes (e.g., three times in a row) while looking at a specific firstuser, that first user may be identified as of particular interest to thesecond user.

With some implementations, the second user may carry a mobile devicethat includes an audio recording device. The audio recording device maycontinuously capture voices around the second user. When the second userengages in conversation with or speaks to a specific first user for athreshold period of time (e.g., 30 seconds), that first user may beidentified as of particular interest to the second user. Alternatively,when the second user speaks a predefined word (e.g., information) whilestanding or sitting next to a specific first user, that first user maybe identified as of particular interest to the second user.

To improve the accuracy of identifying a specific first user who is ofparticular interest to the second user, particular embodiments mayemploy a combination of suitable identification methods. For example,the first user may be identified when the second user both stares at thefirst user for a threshold period of time and speaks a predefined word,or when the second user both stands next to the first user for athreshold period of time and blinks for a threshold times.

Once a specific first user who is of particular interest to the seconduser has been identified automatically, at STEP 530, particularembodiments may retrieve information about the specific first user fromsocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, the informationabout the specific first user may be retrieved using similar techniquesas described above in connection with STEP 320 of FIG. 3.

At STEP 540, particular embodiments may provide the second user with theinformation about the specific first user, who is of particular interestto the second user. In particular embodiments, the information about thespecific first user may be provided using similar techniques asdescribed above in connection with STEP 330 of FIG. 3. For example, theinformation about the specific first user may be displayed on the screenof a mobile device (e.g., a Smartphone) of the second user or audiblycommunicated to the second user (e.g., through an earphone worn by thesecond user).

The information about the specific first user may, for example, help thesecond user in socializing with the specific first user. Suppose thatthe second user has never met the specific first user prior to thepresent gathering and wishes to introduce himself or herself to thespecific first user. If the second user knows that the specific firstuser is interested in sports and especially golf, the second user mayselect “golf” as a conversation topic when chatting with the specificfirst user.

For the methods illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, particular embodimentsmay consider that there is an association or connection between thespecific first user or users (e.g., the first user of particularinterest to the second user, or the first users from a specific group)and the second user. Recommendations or advertisements may be providedto the second user based on such association or connection. For example,if the first users all share a common interest (e.g., tennis) with thesecond user, brands of tennis equipments (e.g., apparels, balls,racquets) preferred by the first users may be recommended to the seconduser.

In particular embodiments, the processes illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 may besymmetrically applied to multiple users. For example, while Users X andY are both attending an event, both Users X and Y may be identified(e.g., using similar techniques as described above in connection withSTEP 310 of FIG. 3), and information about both Users X and Y may beretrieved (e.g., from social-networking system 160). Thereafter,information about User X may be provided to User Y, while informationabout User Y may be provided to User X.

In particular embodiments, the processes illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 may beasymmetrically applied to multiple users. For example, while Users X andY are both attending an event, both Users X and Y may be identified(e.g., using similar techniques as described above in connection withSTEP 310 of FIG. 3), and information about both Users X and Y may beretrieved (e.g., from social-networking system 160). Thereafter,information about both Users X and Y is provided to User Z, and yetinformation about User Z is not provided to either User X or User Y. Forexample, user Z may be a host of the event. User Z can then decidewhether to introduce Users X and Y to each other (e.g., based on theirrespective information). This may help protect Users X's and Y's privacy(e.g., by not providing their information to complete strangers).

Currently, various types of information, such as GPS coordinates of auser's mobile device or a user's check-ins, may be used to determine thegeneral location of a user at a given time. For example, a user'scheck-ins may indicate that the user is inside a building (e.g., arestaurant, an office building, a shopping mall, etc.) but does not tellwhich specific room, or which specific position in a room the user islocated at a given time. FIG. 6 illustrates an example method 600 fordetermining specific positions of individual users within an enclosure.Suppose that a group of users are gathered inside an enclosure. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable enclosure for human gathering. Inparticular embodiments, the enclosure is a covered enclosure, such as asingle room within a structure.

At STEP 610, particular embodiments receive information about the userslocated inside the enclosure, subject to each user's privacy settings.There are various ways to gather information about users inside anenclosure, and this disclosure contemplates any applicable techniques togather information about users inside an enclosure.

With some implementations, some or all of the users may carry mobiledevices that include visual recording devices. For example, a visualrecording device may be incorporated in a Smartphone, a piece of jewelry(e.g., pendant, brooch), a wrist watch, or a pair of glasses carried orworn by a user so that it is not obtrusive. In some cases, a visualrecording device may have a wide-angle lens (e.g., fisheye lens) capableof taking wide angle images (e.g., panoramic or hemispherical images). Auser may take various photos of other users inside the enclosure withsuch a visual recording device and send the photos to, for example,social-networking system 160. Moreover, multiple users may take multiplephotos around the enclosure and send these photos to social-networkingsystem 160.

With some implementations, there may be visual recording devicesinstalled around the enclosures (e.g., on the walls, in the ceilings).These visual recording devices may take photos of their respective areasof the enclosure and send these photos to social-networking system 160.

With some implementations, social-networking system 160 may receivephotos taken by the visual recording devices carried by the individualusers as well as installed around the enclosure.

Different photos may capture different users inside the enclosure. Forexample, some photos may capture only a few users (e.g., one, two, orthree users) while other photos may capture many users at a time. Thesame user may be captured in multiple photos. Some photos may capturebackground around the enclosure.

At STEP 620, particular embodiments may identify the individual userscaptured in various photos. In particular embodiments, each individualuser may be identified using similar techniques as described above inconnection with STEP 310 of FIG. 3. More specifically, with someimplementations, the users may be identified through facial recognition.In this case, the facial image of each specific user captured in thephotos may be processed using suitable computer software (e.g., imageprocessing software). For example, if the user is a member ofsocial-networking system 160, the image of the user's face may becompared against profile or other images (e.g., images from user albums)of users of social-networking system 160. With some implementations, thesearch pool may be limited to specific users of social-networking system160, as described above in connection with STEP 310 of FIG. 3, toimprove facial recognition results or protect user privacy. If a matchis found, the name of the user whose profile image matches the image ofthe user's face should also be the name of the first user.

At STEP 630, particular embodiments may determine the specific positionof each user inside the enclosure. With some implementations, thepositions of the individual users may be extrapolated from theinformation contained in or associated with the photos. As an example,suppose that a first user has taken a photo of a second user and a thirduser standing side by side. This photo indicates that the second user ispositioned to the third user's right, while the third user is positionedto the second user's left. Furthermore, based on the angle of the photo,it may be determined that the first user is positioned approximatelyfour feet in front of both the second and the third users. As anotherexample, suppose that a fourth user has taken a photo of the seconduser, a fifth user, and a sixth user. In this photo, the fifth user andthe sixth user are both positioned to the second user's right. Since thesecond user is positioned to the third user's right, this implies thatthe fifth user and the sixth user are also positioned to the thirduser's right. Furthermore, the angle of the photo may be used todetermine the position of the fourth user in relation to the second,fifth, and sixth users. Thus, information extracted from multiple photosmay be combined and interpolated to determine the specific positions ofthe individual users inside the enclosure.

Particular embodiments may construct a map of the enclosure and thenindicate the position of each user inside the enclosure on the map.Since the users may move around the enclosure, the positions of theusers may be updated as needed. With some implementations, photos may becontinuously taken inside the enclosure (e.g., by visual recordingdevices carried on the users or installed around the enclosure) and sentto social-networking system 160. Positions of the users may berepeatedly extrapolated from the latest photos.

The map, with the positions of the individual users, may provide help tothe users inside the enclosure. For example, suppose that a first useris trying to locate a second user inside the enclosure. However, becausethe enclosure is poorly lit or it is crowded inside the enclosure, thefirst user may not be able to see the second user readily. In this case,the map of the enclosure, with the current position of the second usermarked on it, may be provided to the first user (e.g., sent to anddisplayed on the first user's mobile device) so that the first user canuse the information to find the second user. Alternatively, directionsmay be given to the first user (e.g., spoken to the first user throughan earphone) that lead the first user to the second user.

A user may carry an audio/visual recording device, and as the user livesthrough each day, the audio/visual recording device may continuouslycapture audio/visual information around the user. The recording devicemay be incorporated in a mobile device carried by the user or a piece ofclothing or accessory (e.g., jewelry, eye glasses, watch) worn by theuser. FIG. 7 illustrates an example method 700 for continuouslycapturing audio/visual information around a user. Note that the stepsillustrated in FIG. 7 may be similarly repeated for different users.

At STEP 710, an audio/visual recording device may continuously captureaudio/visual information around a user as the user lives through eachday. As an example, the recording device may capture image framesperiodically (e.g., one image per minute or one image per five minutes).As another example, the recording device may capture videos. With someimplementations, the rate of recording (e.g., the number of image framescaptured per some specific period of time, such as the number of framescaptured per minute) may vary as needed. For example, if there are fewactivities around the user so that there are few changes over time, theimages may be recorded at a lower rate (e.g., one image per tenminutes). If there is almost no activity around the user, no image needsto be recorded. However, if there are more activates around the user(e.g., some sudden movements as indicated by the accelerometer orcamera), the images may be recorded at a higher rate (e.g., one imageper two seconds). Thus, the rate of recording may be automaticallyadjusted based on the amount of activities or motions or movementsaround the user or by the user. More movements may result in a higherrate of recording, while few movements may result in a lower rate ofrecording.

With some implementations, the captured audio/visual information may besent to a server (e.g., a server of social-networking system 160) forfurther analysis. Alternatively, with some implementations, the capturedaudio/visual information may be processed by the user's own device. Withsome implementations, there may be timestamps associated with thecaptured audio/visual information, indicating when the information iscaptured.

At STEP 720, particular embodiments may extract audio/visual segmentsfrom the audio/visual information captured by the audio/visual recordingdevice. In practice, a person's daily life is not always full ofinteresting or significant activities. For example, during normalbusiness hours, the user may spend hours working in his or her office,in which case there may not be much significant information captured bythe recording device (e.g., most of the images may have the user workingin front of a computer). On the other hand, in the evenings or on theweekends, the user may socialize with friends or relatives, attendconcerts or sporting events, watch moves, etc., in which case theinformation captured by the recording device are related to theseactivities and thus more interesting to the user. By processing theaudio/visual information, audio/visual segments covering specific timeperiods or relating to specific events in the user's life may beextracted. As an example, if the user has attended a concert, a segmentmay be extracted that covers the concert, subject to the permissions ofthe artists or copyrights. As another example, if the user has taken avacation, one or more segments may be extracted that cover the vacation.As a third example, if the user has hosted a visiting relative forseveral days, one or more segments may be extracted that cover the timeperiods the user has spent with the visiting relative.

At STEP 730, particular embodiments may post the audio/visual segmentsto the user's timeline with social-networking system 160. With someimplementations, a timeline is a virtual representation of the user'slife, starting from the date, month, or year when the user was firstborn and continuing onward. There may be specific points along thetimeline, corresponding to specific dates or time periods in the user'slife. Significant events happening in the user's life may be representedon the timeline at appropriate and corresponding points. For example, apoint on the timeline may mark the date when the user graduated fromhigh school, while another point on the timeline may mark the date whenthe user graduated from college. There may be points on the timelinecorresponding to when the user has taken vacations. Similarly,audio/visual segments may be displayed at appropriate points along thetimeline, which corresponding to the time periods covered by theaudio/visual segments respectively.

In particular embodiments, the audio/visual segments may be posted tosocial graph 200 of social-networking system 160. Each audio/visualsegment may be represented by a node in social graph 200, which isconnected to the node representing the user. The relationship betweenthe user and the audio/visual segment may be indicated alone the edgeconnecting the two nodes respectively representing the user and theaudio/visual segment.

In particular embodiments, the audio/visual segments may be stored(e.g., by social-networking system 160). Subsequently, the user mayretrieve and review specific segments. With some implementations, theuser may send a query requesting audio/visual segments covering aspecific time period or event in the user's life. Social-networkingsystem 160 may then locate and send the appropriate segment or segmentsto the user. With some implementations, the user may send a query askingfor specific information that can be found in an audio/visual segment,instead of the segment itself. As an example, if the user has attended asporting event some years ago with a friend but can no longer rememberwho that friend was, the user may ask for the identity of that friend atthe sporting event. Social-networking system 160 may locate theappropriate audio/visual segment covering the sporting event, identifythe friend (e.g., by processing the individual images and performingfacial or voice recognition), and send the name of the friend to theuser. As another example, the user may send a query specifying a timeperiod and asking for events occurred during that time period.Social-networking system 160 may locate the appropriate audio/visualsegment or segments covering the time period, identify the events, andsend the titles of the events to the user.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the methods ofFIGS. 3-7, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the methods of FIGS. 3-7 as occurring inparticular orders, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps ofthe methods of FIGS. 3-7 occurring in any suitable orders. Moreover,although this disclosure describes and illustrates particularcomponents, devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of themethods of FIGS. 3-7, this disclosure contemplates any suitablecombinations of any suitable components, devices, or systems carryingout any suitable steps of the methods of FIGS. 3-7.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example computer system 800. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 800 perform one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 800 provide functionalitydescribed or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, softwarerunning on one or more computer systems 800 performs one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein or providesfunctionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodimentsinclude one or more portions of one or more computer systems 800.Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device,and vice versa, where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computersystem may encompass one or more computer systems, where appropriate.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems800. This disclosure contemplates computer system 800 taking anysuitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation,computer system 800 may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip(SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, acomputer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computersystem, a laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, amainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobile telephone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a server, a tablet computer system, or acombination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, computer system800 may include one or more computer systems 800; be unitary ordistributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; spanmultiple data centers; or reside in a cloud, which may include one ormore cloud components in one or more networks. Where appropriate, one ormore computer systems 800 may perform without substantial spatial ortemporal limitation one or more steps of one or more methods describedor illustrated herein. As an example and not by way of limitation, oneor more computer systems 800 may perform in real time or in batch modeone or more steps of one or more methods described or illustratedherein. One or more computer systems 800 may perform at different timesor at different locations one or more steps of one or more methodsdescribed or illustrated herein, where appropriate.

In particular embodiments, computer system 800 includes a processor 802,memory 804, storage 806, an input/output (I/O) interface 808, acommunication interface 810, and a bus 812. Although this disclosuredescribes and illustrates a particular computer system having aparticular number of particular components in a particular arrangement,this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having anysuitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement.

In particular embodiments, processor 802 includes hardware for executinginstructions, such as those making up a computer program. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, to execute instructions, processor 802 mayretrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internal register, aninternal cache, memory 804, or storage 806; decode and execute them; andthen write one or more results to an internal register, an internalcache, memory 804, or storage 806. In particular embodiments, processor802 may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, oraddresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 802 including anysuitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. Asan example and not by way of limitation, processor 802 may include oneor more instruction caches, one or more data caches, and one or moretranslation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in the instructioncaches may be copies of instructions in memory 804 or storage 806, andthe instruction caches may speed up retrieval of those instructions byprocessor 802. Data in the data caches may be copies of data in memory804 or storage 806 for instructions executing at processor 802 tooperate on; the results of previous instructions executed at processor802 for access by subsequent instructions executing at processor 802 orfor writing to memory 804 or storage 806; or other suitable data. Thedata caches may speed up read or write operations by processor 802. TheTLBs may speed up virtual-address translation for processor 802. Inparticular embodiments, processor 802 may include one or more internalregisters for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosurecontemplates processor 802 including any suitable number of any suitableinternal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor 802may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-coreprocessor; or include one or more processors 802. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable processor.

In particular embodiments, memory 804 includes main memory for storinginstructions for processor 802 to execute or data for processor 802 tooperate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system800 may load instructions from storage 806 or another source (such as,for example, another computer system 800) to memory 804. Processor 802may then load the instructions from memory 804 to an internal registeror internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor 802 mayretrieve the instructions from the internal register or internal cacheand decode them. During or after execution of the instructions,processor 802 may write one or more results (which may be intermediateor final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor802 may then write one or more of those results to memory 804. Inparticular embodiments, processor 802 executes only instructions in oneor more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 804 (asopposed to storage 806 or elsewhere) and operates only on data in one ormore internal registers or internal caches or in memory 804 (as opposedto storage 806 or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (which may eachinclude an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor 802 tomemory 804. Bus 812 may include one or more memory buses, as describedbelow. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units(MMUs) reside between processor 802 and memory 804 and facilitateaccesses to memory 804 requested by processor 802. In particularembodiments, memory 804 includes random access memory (RAM). This RAMmay be volatile memory, where appropriate Where appropriate, this RAMmay be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, whereappropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 804 may include one ormore memories 804, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describesand illustrates particular memory, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable memory.

In particular embodiments, storage 806 includes mass storage for data orinstructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage 806may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory,an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these. Storage806 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, whereappropriate. Storage 806 may be internal or external to computer system800, where appropriate. In particular embodiments, storage 806 isnon-volatile, solid-state memory. In particular embodiments, storage 806includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may bemask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM),electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), electrically alterable ROM (EAROM),or flash memory or a combination of two or more of these. Thisdisclosure contemplates mass storage 806 taking any suitable physicalform. Storage 806 may include one or more storage control unitsfacilitating communication between processor 802 and storage 806, whereappropriate. Where appropriate, storage 806 may include one or morestorages 806. Although this disclosure describes and illustratesparticular storage, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage.

In particular embodiments, I/O interface 808 includes hardware,software, or both, providing one or more interfaces for communicationbetween computer system 800 and one or more I/O devices. Computer system800 may include one or more of these I/O devices, where appropriate. Oneor more of these I/O devices may enable communication between a personand computer system 800. As an example and not by way of limitation, anI/O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse,printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet, touch screen,trackball, video camera, another suitable I/O device or a combination oftwo or more of these. An I/O device may include one or more sensors.This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices and any suitableI/O interfaces 808 for them. Where appropriate, I/O interface 808 mayinclude one or more device or software drivers enabling processor 802 todrive one or more of these I/O devices. I/O interface 808 may includeone or more I/O interfaces 808, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular I/O interface, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable I/O interface.

In particular embodiments, communication interface 810 includeshardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces forcommunication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) betweencomputer system 800 and one or more other computer systems 800 or one ormore networks. As an example and not by way of limitation, communicationinterface 810 may include a network interface controller (NIC) ornetwork adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-basednetwork or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicatingwith a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. This disclosurecontemplates any suitable network and any suitable communicationinterface 810 for it. As an example and not by way of limitation,computer system 800 may communicate with an ad hoc network, a personalarea network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network(WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or more portions of theInternet or a combination of two or more of these. One or more portionsof one or more of these networks may be wired or wireless. As anexample, computer system 800 may communicate with a wireless PAN (WPAN)(such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FI network, a WI-MAXnetwork, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), or other suitablewireless network or a combination of two or more of these. Computersystem 800 may include any suitable communication interface 810 for anyof these networks, where appropriate. Communication interface 810 mayinclude one or more communication interfaces 810, where appropriate.Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particularcommunication interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitablecommunication interface.

In particular embodiments, bus 812 includes hardware, software, or bothcoupling components of computer system 800 to each other. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, bus 812 may include an AcceleratedGraphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry StandardArchitecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT)interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBANDinterconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro ChannelArchitecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, aPCI-Express (PCIe) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, oranother suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus 812may include one or more buses 812, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media mayinclude one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits(ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) orapplication-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid harddrives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs),magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppydisk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs),RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitablecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitablecombination of two or more of these, where appropriate. Acomputer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile,non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, whereappropriate.

Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicatedotherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B”means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicatedotherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unlessexpressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,”unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.

The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodimentsdescribed or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill inthe art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited tothe example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover,although this disclosure describes and illustrates respectiveembodiments herein as including particular components, elements,functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may includeany combination or permutation of any of the components, elements,functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere hereinthat a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend.Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to an apparatus or systemor a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to,capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative toperform a particular function encompasses that apparatus, system,component, whether or not it or that particular function is activated,turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or componentis so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled, operable, oroperative.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: by a server computing device, receiving real-time visual information captured by a recording device associated with a first user, the visual information capturing aspects of a physical environment of the recording device, the visual information having been captured without user input, the visual information comprising one or more images of a face; by the server computing device, comparing the one or more images of the face against a database of images stored in association with the server computing device, wherein each image of the database of images comprises a face and corresponds to a user of a social-networking system; by the server computing device, based on the comparing, associating the image of the face with a second user of the social-networking system; by the server computing device, in response to associating the image of the face with-the second user, retrieving information about a particular action the second user has performed on the social-networking system with respect to a concept or third user, wherein the information is retrieved based on an affinity coefficient between the first user and the concept or between the first user and the third user being above a threshold affinity coefficient, wherein: the affinity coefficient is calculated based on information in a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, wherein a first node in the graph corresponds to the first user, a second node in the graph corresponds to the second user, a third node in the graph corresponds to the third user, and a fourth node in the graph corresponds to the concept; the graph comprises a first connection based on one or more edges between the second node at least one of and the third node and the fourth node, wherein the first connection corresponds to a particular action the second user has taken with respect to the concept; and the graph comprises a second connection based on one or more edges between the first node and at least one of the third node and the fourth node, wherein the second connection corresponds to a particular action the first user has taken with respect to the concept; and by the server computing device, in response to retrieving the information about the particular action, sending the information about the particular action to the first user while the second user is determined to be at the same place as the first user.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises a video of at least a portion of the environment.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises a still image of at least a portion of the environment.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises sounds.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieval of the second information is subject to one or more privacy settings associated with the second user.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises an image of at least a portion of the second user's face.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises a recording of at least a portion of the second user's voice.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second user based at least in part on the visual information comprises: identifying from the graph of the social-networking system one or more third users, at least one node in the graph corresponding to each of the third users, at least one node of each third user being no more than a predetermined distance in the graph from the node corresponding to the first user; and identifying, based on the first information, one of the third users as the second user.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information comprises: the second user's name; and a description of demographic information about the second user.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information comprises an identification of a user node or a concept node associated with a node connected by an edge to the node in the graph corresponding to the second user.
 11. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to: receive real-time visual information captured by a recording device associated with a first user, the visual information capturing aspects of a physical environment of the recording device, the visual information having been captured without user input, the visual information comprising one or more images of a face; comparing the one or more images of the face against a database of images stored in association with the server computing device, wherein each image of the database of images comprises a face and corresponds to a user of a social-networking system; based on the comparing, associate the image of the face with a second user of the social-networking system; in response to associating the image of the face with-the second user, retrieve information about a particular action the second user has performed on the social-networking system with respect to a concept or third user, wherein the information is retrieved based on an affinity coefficient between the first user and the concept or between the first user and the third user being above a threshold affinity coefficient, wherein: the affinity coefficient is calculated based on information in a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, wherein a first node in the graph corresponds to the first user, a second node in the graph corresponds to the second user, a third node in the graph corresponds to the third user, and a fourth node in the graph corresponds to the concept; the graph comprises a first connection based on one or more edges between the second node at least one of and the third node and the fourth node, wherein the first connection corresponds to a particular action the second user has taken with respect to the concept; and the graph comprises a second connection based on one or more edges between the first node and at least one of the third node and the fourth node, wherein the second connection corresponds to a particular action the first user has taken with respect to the concept; and in response to retrieving the information about the particular action, send the information about the particular action to the first user while the second user is determined to be at the same place as the first user.
 12. The media of claim 11, wherein the visual information comprises a video of at least a portion of the environment.
 13. The media of claim 11, wherein the visual information comprises a still image of at least a portion of the environment.
 14. The media of claim 11, wherein the visual information comprises sounds.
 15. The media of claim 11, wherein retrieval of the second information is subject to one or more privacy settings associated with the second user.
 16. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to: receive real-time visual information captured by a recording device associated with a first user, the visual information capturing aspects of a physical environment of the recording device, the visual information having been captured without user input, the visual information comprising one or more images of a face; comparing the one or more images of the face against a database of images stored in association with the server computing device, wherein each image of the database of images comprises a face and corresponds to a user of a social-networking system; based on the comparing, associate the image of the face with a second user of the social-networking system; in response to associating the image of the face with-the second user, retrieve information about a particular action the second user has performed on the social-networking system with respect to a concept or third user, wherein the information is retrieved based on an affinity coefficient between the first user and the concept or between the first user and the third user being above a threshold affinity coefficient, wherein: the affinity coefficient is calculated based on information in a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, wherein a first node in the graph corresponds to the first user, a second node in the graph corresponds to the second user, a third node in the graph corresponds to the third user, and a fourth node in the graph corresponds to the concept; the graph comprises a first connection based on one or more edges between the second node at least one of and the third node and the fourth node, wherein the first connection corresponds to a particular action the second user has taken with respect to the concept; and the graph comprises a second connection based on one or more edges between the first node and at least one of the third node and the fourth node, wherein the second connection corresponds to a particular action the first user has taken with respect to the concept; and in response to retrieving the information about the particular action, send the information about the particular action to the first user while the second user is determined to be at the same place as the first user.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual information comprises a video of at least a portion of the environment.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual information comprises a still image of at least a portion of the environment.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual information comprises sounds.
 20. The system of claim 16, wherein retrieval of the second information is subject to one or more privacy settings associated with the second user. 